FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – A group of 11 students from the Sam M. Walton College of Business and the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arkansas achieved remarkable success at the National Model United Nations Conference, held in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, over Thanksgiving break.

EXTENSIVE PREPARATION

This renowned event, hosted in one of the world's most biodiverse regions, brought together top university delegations from across the globe to simulate United Nations proceedings and address pressing global issues. The students, who were assigned to represent Japan, Spain, Portugal and Ethiopia, participated in a professional development course designed to enhance skills in research, public speaking, networking and resolution writing. Their preparation spanned nine months and entailed extensive research and multiple revisions of position papers to articulate their assigned nations' stances on key global topics.

Robert Stapp, teaching professor of economics for Walton College, taught the course that prepared the students for their Model United Nations experience. He emphasized that while awards are not the primary objective, they serve as a testament to the students' hard work and growth throughout the process.

"Our program is designed to provide a rigorous academic experience that develops research, communication and leadership skills," Stapp noted. "The success our students achieved is a testament to their diligence and ability to rise to challenges."

ACCUMULATION OF ACCOLADES

There were several award categories, and in total, the U of A team won 12. These achievements are particularly noteworthy given the competitive nature of the NMUN-Galápagos Conference, which features only the most experienced delegates from institutions with extensive Model UN programs.

Stapp added with pride, “I cannot stress how successful our Model United Nations Team was this semester. They began their background research in March and worked diligently over the summer months. Then, they refined their research 8 times during the semester before submitting their final work in late October. Along the way, they gave speeches every day honing their public speaking capabilities while improving their networking skills. These will prove exceptionally valuable to them in their careers."

Two students were honored for their standout background research on the issues of their committee:

Outstanding Position Paper Award to Japan for the UNEA

• Sydney Foster, Walton College

Outstanding Position Paper Award to Japan for the UN-Habitat Committee

• Brayden Hartwig, Fulbright College

Within each of these committees, students nominated their peers for the Outstanding Delegate Award.

Outstanding Delegate Award to Japan on the UNEA Committee

• Sydney Foster, Walton College

Outstanding Delegate Award to Japan on the UNEA Committee

• Hadley Burke, Fulbright College

Outstanding Delegate Award to Spain on the UNESCO Committee

• Sam Butler, Walton College

Outstanding Delegate Award to Japan on the UNESCO Committee

• Katherine Ford, Walton College

Outstanding Delegate Award to Japan on the UNDP Committee

• Izzy Artnak, Walton College

The NMUN Conference also bestows overall top recognition for each delegation, with the U of A winning in every country they represented.

Outstanding Delegation Award for Japan

• Brayden Hartwig, Fulbright College
• Isabelle ‘Izzy’ Artnak, Walton College 
• Katherine Ford, Walton College
• Sydney Foster, Walton College

Outstanding Delegation Award for Spain

• Aaryan Phadnis, Walton College
• Sam Butler, Walton College

Outstanding Delegation Award for Portugal

• Hadley Burke, Fulbright College
• Hank Herzfeld, Fulbright College

Outstanding Delegation Award for Ethiopia

• Aidan Bhargava, Walton College
• Isabella ‘Bella’ Thompson, Fulbright College
• Konoka Hattori, Fulbright College

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About the Sam M. Walton College of Business: Founded in 1926, the Sam M. Walton College of Business stands as one of the largest colleges at the University of Arkansas, serving over 9,800 students across undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs. The college holds AACSB accreditation and consistently ranks among the top business schools in the United States. Walton College ranks 25th for its undergraduate business program among public colleges in the U.S. News & World Report's 2025 national rankings. Its undergraduate supply chain management program is recognized as the top program in North America by Gartner. In 2023, The Princeton Review included Walton’s M.B.A. program in its Best Business Schools list for On-Campus M.B.A. Programs.

About Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences: The Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is the largest and most academically diverse unit on the University of Arkansas campus with three schools, 16 departments and numerous academic programs and research centers. The college provides the majority of the core curriculum for all University of Arkansas students. Get the inside scoop on all things Fulbright College by subscribing to the digital Fulbright REVIEW publication. 

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.